Hey saints, he is risen! He is risen indeed! This is part of the foundation of what we believe; that Jesus Christ came in obedience to the Father, he lived, suffered and died. Then he rose from the dead and returned to the Father. This was the only way that our salvation could be earned and death defeated. All we have to do is believe.

It’s actually false for me to say that all we have to do is believe. To believe is the beginning which allows the changes to take place that we may be equipped to serve him, our Lord. Yet, belief is where it needs to begin. Much more is asked of us than was ever asked of the disciples. They had the advantage of having seen all the miracles and of having seen Jesus after his death. Even with all the evidence presented to him Thomas declared:

"Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." (John 20:25)

When Jesus appeared to Thomas to destroy the doubt that was plaguing him Jesus gently rebuked him:

Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:27-29)

That would be you and me he is talking about there; “those who have not seen and yet have believed.” The only real assurance that we have that any of this is true is the Holy Spirit who convicts all mankind of their sin. It requires a faith that was not required of the disciples. They saw these things in the flesh and they went on to give their lives in service to the Lord and for the salvation of others. Does this not mean that we should do even greater things because our faith is stronger?

If we look at it from that perspective then yes, we should be doing even greater things because we must believe with a pure faith, not one that is in place because of physical evidence. I do not require any physical evidence because I came to know Jesus through this path of belief. I chose to believe without any physical evidence, based only on the witness and testimony of the Spirit. Jesus met with me one day but it was through the Spirit, his invisible presence in my bedroom. Yet he was more real to me in that moment than the floor I was prostrate on in great repentance.

I am still convinced that most of the Christian world exists and operates on other people’s testimonies, having no testimony of their own. Most attend church out of tradition, not even understanding the purpose of it. This is the reason we do not have full prayer meetings and few go to Bible studies, because to them Jesus is not even as real as the pew that they sit on. John said of the account he was writing:

Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)

Do we believe? Do we honestly believe? Do we believe the miracles? Do we believe the testimonies? Do we believe the gospels? Do we believe the Holy Spirit? Do we believe enough to meet with Jesus, to die to what we want, to live for him, to be obedient to him, to die for him? We don’t appear to live that way. If we did there would be power in the Church.

If only we could grasp our new reality. If only we could see outside of our cozy little boxes. If only we understood the importance of the Name we bear. If only we understood the power of the Name. Understand the reverence as John wrote in his epistle:

Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth. (3 John 1:5-8)

“It was for the sake of the Name that they went out”; the Name. Do we believe? Do we believe to the extent that name of Jesus is treated with the highest reverence? Do we understand that we are clothed in this name; that we are blessed by this name; that we live, breathe and operate in this name? Do we understand the power that has been given to us by operating in the authority of this name? Do we understand the cost of bearing this name? Do we believe? I am not convinced we do.

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